News

Exclusive: Roots co-founder Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter is writing and directing a new narrative film that they hope “drops audiences into hip hop’s soul,” and it’s powered by WonderRoom, a 360° immersive platform.

Trotter is teaming with Impossible Creative as the studio and enlisting Oscar-winning Summer of Soul docu filmmaker Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Shawn Gee at Two One Five Entertainment as producers on the new project.

“I’m grateful to Impossible Creative for entrusting me with their technology in bringing my latest project to the world.” says Trotter. “Hip hop has a rich and beautiful history, and by creating a space where audiences play a role and physically live out its greatest moments, the potential for a better understanding of the genre and its roots increases significantly.”

“We’re ecstatic to be collaborating with Tarik and can’t wait to see what his unique creative genius will bring...

Exclusive: Oscar winners Questlove and Jamie Lee Curtis and Emmy winner Billy Porter are joining forces to executive produce I Was Born This Way about Archbishop Carl Bean, the man who performed the titular groundbreaking gay disco anthem in the 1970s.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Daniel Junge and Emmy-winning filmmaker Sam Pollard directed the film, which makes its world premiere at Tribeca Festival on June 5. We have your first look at the documentary in the trailer above.

“Six years in the making,” notes a release, “the film follows the little known story of Bean’s life from his turbulent childhood growing up Black and queer, through his surprising music career, including the 1977 Billboard top 10 Disco hit and gay anthem ‘I Was Born This Way,’ and his departure from the music industry to start the prolific Minority AIDS Project and the world’s first LGBTQ+ church for people of color, Unity Fellowship.”

The release continues,...

Jimmt Fallon noted during his monologue on Wednesday’s “The Tonight Show” that this year, the NCAA College Basketball Tournament — Aka March Madness — is a bit different, because the often destructive celebrations fans get up to resemble the public reaction to Tesla owner and Donald Trump ally Elon Musk.

“Tomorrow is the first round of March Madness. Yeah, but this year will be a little different. If you see a car flipped over, it’s either fans celebrating their school or people protesting Elon Musk, so just be careful,” Fallon joked. “One of the two.”

“I’m enjoying this time now, because in about 12 hours, my bracket will be more useless than JFK files Trump just released,” Fallon continued.

“Meanwhile, Yale made the tournament this year, they’re a 13 seed, and they play at number four Texas A&m,” he noted. “Yeah, it’s pretty lopsided matchup. You could tell...

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert left fans in the dark to start the week. But what should they expect to see on CBS tonight?

There was a noticeable hole in the late-night TV lineup to start the week. Stephen Colbert and his crew were absent, leaving the Late Show audience to look elsewhere for reaction to what transpired over the weekend.

Unfortunately, that trend will continue on Tuesday night. There will not be a new episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert tonight.

Instead, CBS will reair the February 17 episode. Tune in to revisit Colbert's conversation with fellow late-night TV host and Daily Show alum John Oliver. The War and the Treaty served as the musical guest that night.

What to watch instead of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert tonight

Once again, late-night TV audiences will have to channel surf to find an alternative. The good news...

Exclusive: Hot off the Sundance debut of Ahmir “Questlove’ Thompson’s Sly Lives! documentary and an SNL50 celebration weekend that saw the Roots literally centerstage, the Oscar winner and Mc frontman Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter are strengthening the bench at their Two One Five Entertainment.

The founding members of the iconic hip-hop band have brought Agbo veteran Josh Williams onboard as the ever expanding Two One Five’s Director of Scripted Development. He will be focused on running all original development of scripted projects, with a spotlight on original series/features. Based out of the now six-year old production company’s L.A. offices, Williams will report to Zarah Zohlman, Two One Five’s Director of Development & Production.

“We are excited to welcome Josh Williams to the Two One Five team as Director of Scripted Development,” The Roots co-founders said today. “He is a talented executive, and we’re fortunate...

Thirty years ago today, the Roots went big with Do You Want More?!!!??!, their first album release on a major label. The Dgc Records LP featured over an hour of music, with rap and jazz colliding through production from The Grand Negaz, Questlove, Kelo, A.J. Shine, Black Thought, and Rahzel. In March, the Roots will celebrate the record’s milestone anniversary with a series of performances at Blue Note in New York City.

“We are doing Six early Roots era focused shows,” Questlove wrote on Instagram. “Yall better riggety...

A documentary about the music performances on “Saturday Night Live” is coming to NBC, directed by Oscar winner Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Emmy winner Oz Rodriguez.

Titled “Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music,” the three-hour special will premiere on the network on Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. and stream the following day on Peacock.

The latest project celebrating five decades of “SNL,” the film will “feature untold stories behind the culture-defining, groundbreaking and newsmaking musical performances, sketches and cameos of the past 50 years,” per the logline.

The doc will also feature more than 50 interviews, including Bad Bunny, DJ Breakout, Elvis Costello, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish and Finneas, Dave Grohl, Debbie Harry & Chris Stein, Mick Jagger, Dua Lipa, Darryl Dmc McDaniels, Tom Morello, Kacey Musgraves, Olivia Rodrigo, Mc Sha-Rack, Paul Simon, Chris Stapleton, Justin Timberlake, Lee Ving and Jack White.

Also interviewed are “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels and cast and creatives of present and past,...

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live,” NBC is sharing the untold stories behind the late night staple’s culture-defining, groundbreaking and newsmaking musical performances, sketches and cameos over the years in a new documentary.

“Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music,” which is set to premiere Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt on NBC and stream the next day on Peacock, will be directed by Grammy and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Emmy Award winner Oz Rodriguez.

“Everyone knows the most famous ‘SNL’ appearances, whether it’s Elvis Costello, Prince or the Beastie Boys, but they’re the tip of a huge iceberg,” Questlove said in a Thursday statement. “The process of going back through the incredible archival footage was like being in a time machine, DeLorean or other. I’m so happy I went on the trip and now get to share it with everyone.

Saturday Night Live is a legendary gig for musicians and bands.

From Lee Ving’s Fear encouraging kids to slam dance to “Beef Bologna” to Nirvana playing “Rape Me” alongside Charles Barkley and RuPaul and Sinéad O’Connor ripping up a photograph of the Pope during a cover of Bob Marley’s “War,” the show has seen its fair share of incredible performances.

These are to be explored in a documentary for NBC that will premiere on January 27, ahead of its 50th extravaganza.

Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson and Oz Rodriguez, who was a segment director on SNL, will direct Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music.

The special is produced by Questlove’s Two One Five Entertainment, RadicalMedia and Broadway Video.

It will feature untold stories behind the musical performances, sketches and cameos of the past 50 years. The three-hour special will also feature interviews with musical artists, cast, writers, and producers.

These include Bad Bunny,...

NBC has unveiled an upcoming documentary, Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music, to celebrate a half-century of live rock music performances featured on the long-running sketch comedy show.

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Oz Rodriguez will direct the feature film about memorable musical acts by artists like Paul Simon, Justin Timberlake, Billie Eilish & Finneas, Bad Bunny, Elvis Costello, Miley Cyrus, Debbie Harry & Chris Stein, Jack White, Mick Jagger and Dua Lipa, among others.

“Everyone knows the most famous SNL appearances, whether it’s Elvis Costello, Prince or the Beastie Boys, but they’re the tip of a huge iceberg,” Thompson said in a statement. “The process of going back through the incredible archival footage was like being in a time machine, DeLorean or other. I’m so happy I went on the trip and now get to share it with everyone.”

The film will be part of NBC’s primetime celebration...

In addition to their annual Philadelphia music festival the Roots Picnic, the iconic hip-hop and Tonight Show house band the Roots will throw a show in Los Angeles on June 8. Named “A Roots Picnic Experience: The Class of ’95,” it will feature 1990s rap all-stars such as Lil’ Kim, Redman & Method Man, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, DJ Quik, Raekwon, E-40, Goodie Mob, Havoc (of Mobb Deep), the Roots themselves, and others to be announced. Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. Pt.

Taking place at the Hollywood Bowl, The...

Twenty years ago, John Legend released his debut album Get Lifted. The recording process spanned three years as the then-burgeoning musician shaped and solidified its 14-song track list. It served as a launching pad for Legend’s now two-decade-long career — making it more than deserving of a guest-packed, expanded reissue to mark its milestone anniversary.

“I’m so thrilled to be celebrating 20 years of the album that introduced me to the world,” Legend shared in a statement. “Get Lifted has always meant so much to me and to so many of my fans and supporters.

Richard Kind's best movies and TV shows reveal that this incomparable character actor has found his niche working with some of the best filmmakers in the world - and in an impressive range of roles. Kind got his start in the entertainment industry when he worked with The Second City in Chicago, a group with alums like John Belushi, Bill Murray, Jordan Peele, and Amy Poehler. This start led to his eventual big break when he got a role in the Paul Reiser/Helen Hunt sitcom Mad About You and then, shortly after that, Spin City.

While Kind had his biggest success on television, with more roles in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Stargate Atlantis, and Scrubs, he has also developed a substantial list of movie roles. However, most have been in supporting and minor roles. He has worked with directors like Roland Emmerich, George Clooney, Christopher Guest, and The Coen...

As his recent work with Pearl Jam and the Rolling Stones suggests, mega-producer Andrew Watt really, really loves classic rock — and he’s clearly a little tired of being holed up in the studio. So Watt teamed up with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith to form Smith and Watt Steakhouse, a ridiculously overqualified cover band that played for nearly three hours at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl on Sept. 18, with guest appearances by Jimmy Fallon, Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson, the Roots’ Black Thought, guitarist Robert Randolph, and singer-songwriter Charlotte Lawrence,...

Sérgio Mendes, the Brazilian bossa nova legend who became a Grammy-winning international star with his band Brasil ’66, has died at the age of 83.

The musician’s family confirmed he died September 5 in a statement they shared with Rolling Stone on Friday, adding that Mendes “passed away peacefully” in Los Angeles surrounded by his family.

“Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold out and wildly enthusiastic houses in Paris, London and Barcelona. For the last several months, his health had been challenged by the effects of long-term Covid,” the family’s statement said.

Audible, the Amazon-owned podcast and audiobook service, has partnered with the multiplatform media company Macro and Cultivate Entertainment to release “Move: The Untold Story of an American Tragedy.” The nine-episode audio drama investigates the Philadelphia-based Black liberation group Move and its clash with local law enforcement. Hosted by Tariq Trotter of The Roots, the podcast series debuts on Audible Aug. 8.

In the 1970s, a man known as John Africa founded a controversial Black separatist organization in Philadelphia called Move. Members lived in communes according to the lifestyle of Africa, which included free-thinking, a strict raw food diet and deep respect for all living things. As Move gained influence, it attracted the attention of Philadelphia law enforcement.

In 1978, a shootout between Move and the West Philadelphia Police resulted in the death of one officer and sent nine Move members to prison. On May 13, 1985, the City of Philadelphia bombed the Move headquarters,...

The Roots Picnic, held yearly in Philadelphia since 2008, is a special kind of music festival. The lineup this year covered a wide spectrum of hip-hop and R&b, plus country, go-go, and more, with the Roots’ own omnivorous musicality as the guiding force. Daily crowds of 30,000 made the pilgrimage to Fairmount Park to soak up the sun and sounds on June 1 and 2. There were surprise guests (Ghostface! Common! Freeway! Lloyd! Musiq Soulchild!), outstanding collaborations, a couple of disappointing no-shows (Cam’Ron, you were missed), and tons more performances across three stages.

Renowned hip-hop producer Madlib enlists Black Thought and Your Old Droog for his new track “Reekyod,” the producer’s first single in three years.

Over a crackling, D.O.C.-sampling beat crafted by Madlib, the two rappers showcase their lyrical prowess. “Everything I spit, shine/Imma get mine, regardless,” Droog proclaims on his verse.

“This is strictly for the honorees,” Black Thought said of the collaboration in a statement. “Madlib is in his bag per usual and Yod is more than a force to be reckoned with. Simply complex,...

The Human Rights Campaign (Hrc), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, brought together more than 650 LGBTQ+ advocates and supporters for its annual Los Angeles Dinner over the weekend.

Sterling K. Brown speaks onstage during the 2024 Human Rights Campaign dinner

Credit/Copyright: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Human Rights Campaign

This year’s event offered a powerhouse line-up of talented, influential advocates including Academy-Award nominee and three-time Emmy Award winning actor and producer Sterling K. Brown, Tony, Grammy, and seven-time Emmy nominated actress Jean Smart and long-time LGBTQ+ advocate and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. Other special guests included co-founder of The Roots Tariq Trotter, Moonlight co-writer and LGBTQ+ playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney, actress, writer and star of Hacks Hannah Einbinder and comedian Dana Goldberg.

First Lady Jill Biden, delivered the keynote speech addressing the growing rise of anti-lgbtq+ political attacks and the path forward towards full equality.

The Human Rights Campaign honored Jean Smart and Sterling K. Brown at its 2024 Los Angeles Dinner, held on Saturday night at the Fairmont Century Plaza and featuring a keynote speech by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.

The night — which toasted those working for LGBTQ+ equality — kicked off with Biden’s speech following a short introduction from both First Daughter Ashley Biden and Hrc president Kelly Robinson. Early into the her address, the first lady was interrupted by protesters shouting, “Ceasefire now.” One person who was escorted out by security held up a sign that read, “Queer Jews Say Ceasefire Now.” Biden momentarily paused her speech, but didn’t directly address the protesters.

Biden spoke about her relationship with the president before jumping into issues the LGBTQ+ are currently facing. “This community is under attack,” Biden told the crowd. “Rights are being stripped away. Freedoms are eroding. More and more state laws are being passed,...

The Roots have announced the lineup for their 2024 Roots Picnic. Philly fans will have their chance to see André 3000 bring his flute project New Blue Sun to the stage for a live performance.

But it’s Lil Wayne who is tapped to headline the June festival. He’ll be backed by the Roots for a set of his hits and also pay tribute to the music of his hometown of New Orleans with help from guests Pj Morton and Trombone Shorty.

Set for June 1 and 2 at the Mann Center...

It’s no secret that Jodie Foster was once up for the part of Princess Leia in Star Wars — a role that became iconic for Carrie Fisher. But in a new interview on The Tonight Show Foster explained that the only reason she passed was because of a scheduling issue.

“I had a conflict,” she told host Jimmy Fallon. “I was doing a Disney movie and I just didn’t want to pull out of the Disney movie because I was already under contract. So I didn’t do it.

The Roots and Live Nation Urban announced Monday the Roots Picnic: Hip-Hop is the Love of My Life festival, which will take place June 29 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The Roots will headline with additional performances by Queen Latifah, Common, and others. It’s the Philly festival’s inaugural Los Angeles event.

The Roots’ Questlove and Black Thought landed on Hollywood Bowl, a live music venue since 1922, due to their shared love for the event space.

“The first time we played Hollywood Bowl was way back in 2011, and there was nothing like it,...

Thanks to enterprising social media users and rabid Taylor Swift fans, the tweets of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce have resurfaced. Everything from spelling mistakes to happy thoughts about squirrels has delighted social media users, even entertaining “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon and house band The Roots’ rapper Black Thought. They worked together to turn the posts into a new rap song… while glossing over some of Kelce’s more troubling posts.

The pair performed the tune on Friday night’s episode. Black Thought began, “Travis used to tweet a lot, nah, he wouldn’t quit,” before Fallon jumped in with a Kelce quote, “I just gave a squirrel a piece of bread and it straight smashed all of it.”

“Now this guy’s with Taylor Swift and, yeah, the two are dating,” Black Thought went on. Fallon followed up with another Kelce tweet, “I had no idea they ate bread like that.

Tariq Trotter, a.k.a. Black Thought, has given the world endless insight into his mind in the 35-plus years since he founded the Roots with his high school classmate Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. But even after all those richly detailed lyrical flights and legendary live shows, he began to suspect he was holding something back. “It still felt as though there was a disconnect, and that fans of my work didn’t know me, the person, as well as they should or could after all this time,” he says. “So...

Parents just don’t understand, and they haven’t been alone in trying to make sense of Will Smith’s angry assault on Chris Rock a year and a half ago at the Oscars. Perhaps to remind the world that he was once wholesome and didn’t have to cuss in his raps to sell records, he’s reuniting with his old compatriot DJ Jazzy Jeff for a surely noncontroversial performance at A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop.

The event, which Billboard reports will tape at YouTube Theater in Inglewood,...

Drake recently topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the 13th time with his latest solo album For All The Dogs. The polarizing record accrued 402,000 sales units in the United States during its first week, including 514 million streams. For All The Dogs is Drake’s fourth album in two years — though his first solo rap album since 2021’s Certified Lover Boy. Even with the deluge, his streaming numbers reflect a ravenous appetite amongst rap listeners; he’s become too big to fail. He enjoys a fanbase that spans demographics. And even those...

The ever-ubiquitous judge Ken Jeong is setting his sights on yet another new venture: Daytime TV.

Jeong is developing with Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury (Sherri) a syndicated talk show on track for a 2024 premiere, according to our sister site The Hollywood Reporter. In addition to hosting, Jeong will serve as an executive producer.

More from TVLineJon Hamm's Grimsburg (Finally) Gets Fox Premiere DateBased on a True Story Scores (Surprise?) Season 2 Renewal at PeacockMasterChef Junior Renewed, Adds Gordon Ramsay's Daughter as Judge

The prospective series will not be affected by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike as, like other talkers, it...

If you enjoyed the tribute performance celebrating 50 years of hip hop at the 2023 Grammy Awards, you’re going to love this upcoming special. CBS and The Recording Academy have announced that A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop, a live concert special honoring hip hop legends, will air on Sunday, December 10 at 8:30/7:30c (8 p.m. Pt) on CBS. It will also be available to stream on Paramount+, live (via the feed of their local CBS affiliate) and on demand for those who subscribe to Paramount+ with Showtime and on demand the next day for those with Paramount+ Essential. The special will tape on November 8 at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles. Taking the stage at the special tribute concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip hop is a star-studded lineup of hip hop legends and Grammy-winning artists, including Black Thought, Bun B, Common, De La Soul,...

It’s been a half-century since DJ Kool Herc energized a West Bronx rec room and invented the most popular musical genre on the planet. Now the celebration is going primetime.

The Recording Academy said today that it will honor the legends of the game with A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop, a concert special that will air in December on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

The two-hour program will showcase and celebrate the genre’s profound history and monumental cultural impact around the world. Among the first announced performers are Black Thought, Bun B, Common, De La Soul, Jermaine Dupri, J.J. Fad, Talib Kweli, The Lady Of Rage, LL Cool J, Mc Sha-Rock, Monie Love, The Pharcyde, Queen Latifah, Questlove, Rakim, Remy Ma, Uncle Luke and Yo-Yo, with many more promised to be added.

Related: Aafca Celebrates Hip-Hop’s 50th With Screening Series Dedicated to Hip-Hop Films...

The groundbreaking documentary The League explores the rise and fall of the Negro Baseball Leagues, showcasing the perspectives of all-star players and owners. The documentary goes beyond baseball to examine the broader impact of the leagues on the Civil Rights movement, paving the way for integration and equality in baseball. Through personal recollections and historical analysis, The League sheds light on the social and economic aspects of Black baseball and the experiences of African Americans during this time.

Screen Rant is proud to present an exclusive clip from the ground-breaking documentary, The League, which examines the importance of the Negro Baseball Leagues to the Civil Rights movement. Examining both the great successes and difficult challenges, this documentary explores the rise and fall of the Negro Baseball Leagues in the first half of the twentieth century. Using never-before-seen interviews and newly discovered archival footage, this documentary is able to tell the...

Sam Pollard’s “The League” Is Not Your Typical Baseball Doc.

The documentary filmmaker grew up in the 1960s watching the St. Louis Cardinals, whose roster of players included Black or Latino players including Bill White, Curt Flood, Orlando Cepeda and Lou Brock, but did not know much about the Negro Leagues that existed when the sport was still segregated.

“I knew who Jackie Robinson was and that it was because of him Blacks had integrated the Major Leagues in 1947,” says Pollard. “But what I did not know much about in 1964 at the age of 14 was that he had come out of the Negro Leagues and that the Negro Leagues had been home to Black and Latino ballplayers who had to play segregated baseball during the height of the Jim Crow era.”

While some segregation in the sport always existed, the color line in baseball was not rigidly enforced until...

Acclaimed filmmaker Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI) is a delightful storyteller. The man nabbed an Emmy Award (Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming) for the film By the People: The Election of Barack Obama. He was also nominated for an Oscar, along with Spike Lee, for 4 Little Girls. Now, he’s at the helm of The League, a powerful documentary that illuminates the fascinating journey of Negro League baseball — from its triumphs to its challenges — through the first half of the 20th century.

It’s a towering achievement with a wonderfully told story featuring previously unearthed archival footage and never-before-seen interviews with legendary players like Buck O’Neil and Satchel Paige; their early careers created a path for Jackie Robinson and Hall-of-Famers Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, all of whom began in the Negro Leagues.

Of the new project, Pollard immediately noted that he believes people will be immediately surprised by...

Portugal. The Man have released their long-awaited ninth album Chris Black Changed My Life. Stream it via Apple Music or Spotify below.

The follow-up to 2017’s Woodstock, Chris Black Saved My Life was produced by Jeff Bhasker. The album is dedicated to Portugal. The Man’s late friend and honorary band member, Chris Black, who died on May 19th, 2019.

Produced by Asa Taccone, the lead single “Dummy” has that classic Portugal. The Man sound: a slinky bass line and breezy, modulated vocals open the track, before singer John Baldwin Gourley assumes his natural warble to command his audience to dance: “1, 2, 3, 4/ Everybody get on the dance floor/ 5, 6, 7, 8,/ It’s 4:00 a.m. and I’m wide awake.”

Other singles from the album include “Champ,” “Thunderdome [W.T.A]” featuring Black Thought and Natalia Lafourcade, and “Summer of Luv” featuring Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

Portugal. the Man are headed out a batch of tour dates in support of the album,...

On an early Saturday evening in Philadelphia, in a pastoral stretch of park known as the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Questlove is making time stand still. Onstage with him are Ronald Isley, wearing a patent-leather suit and looking ageless enough at 82 to make you think of Dorian Gray; Ernie Isley, playing a guitar solo with his teeth at a comparatively youthful 71; and the rest of the current-day iteration of the Isley Brothers, along with Questlove’s Roots bandmate Captain Kirk Douglas on guitar.

As Questlove begins playing the...

Portugal. The Man is willing to go the distance to achieve the American dream. On their latest single, “Thunderdome [W.T.A.],” the band recruits Black Thought and Natalia Lafourcade to consider what it takes to make the ultimate sacrifice.

“Welcome to America/ I’m waiting on a miracle/ All my sins American/ Yeah I’m waiting on a miracle,” vocalist John Gourley sings, later adding: “Jesus was a Mexican/Walking on the Rio Grande/Learn to speak American/Divided up the Chamizal 64′ we split it/Like I don’t know what went wrong,...

Portugal. the Man are gearing up to share their new album Chris Black Changed My Life on June 23rd, and they’ve offered another sample of it with today’s new single “Thunderdome [W.T.A.],” featuring Black Thought of The Roots and Mexican singer-songwriter legend Natalia Lafourcade.

With geographical references to the US-Mexico border, “Thunderdome” is an ode to the so-called American Dream and the lengths people go to in hopes of achieving it. “Welcome to America/ I’m waiting on a miracle/ All my sins American/ Yeah I’m waiting on a miracle,” vocalist John Gourley sings in the track’s opening lines, before Lafourcade chimes in: “You know you want it if you leave somebody you love.”

Black Thought, who’s collaborated with Portugal. the Man before on his 220 track “Fuel,” comes in near “Thunderdome”‘s latter half, and gives the song a welcome hip-hop boost. Check out the visualizer for the song below.

Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter announced that he’s releasing a new memoir. The Upcycled Self is set to arrive Nov. 14, Variety reports. The Roots co-founder’s story “begins with a tragedy: As a child, Trotter burned down his family’s home,” according to an announcement describing the book, and “doesn’t just narrate a riveting and moving portrait of the artist as a young man, but gives readers a courageous model of what it means to live an examined life.”

In 2021, Black Thought previously shared the story of his life...

Tariq Trotter, aka Black Thought of The Roots, has revealed his new memoir, The Upcycled Self, will arrive on November 14th via One World.

According to Variety, the Mc’s latest book will cover “the beautifully bluesy story of a boy genius’ coming of age that illuminates the redemptive power of the upcycle,” meaning, “to recycle (something) in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original item” and “to create an object of greater value from (a discarded object of lesser value).”

The Upcycled Self follows Black Thought’s 2021 Audible Original memoir, 7 Years, which divided reflections on his life and career into seven-year segments. For his latest literary endeavor, the Grammy-winning rapper has created “a riveting and moving portrait of the artist as a young man” that “begins with a tragedy: as a child, Trotter burned down his family’s home.” He...

On the JoBlo Movies YouTube channel, we will be posting one full movie every other day throughout the week, giving viewers the chance to watch them entirely free of charge. The Free Movie of the Day we have for you today is the drama Explicit Ills, starring Rosario Dawson. You can watch it over on the YouTube channel linked above, or you can just watch it in the embed at the top of this article.

Written and directed by Mark Webber, Explicit Ills is a drama of four interconnecting stories revolving around love, drugs and poverty in Philadelphia.

Dawson is joined in the cast by Paul Dano, Naomie Harris, Lou Taylor Pucci, Frankie Shaw, Tariq Trotter, Francisco Burgos, Martin Ceoeda Jr., Destini Edwards, Ross K. Kim-McManus, Tim Dowlin, Rebecca Comerford, Nicole Mitchell, Rukiya Thomas, Sam Meyerson, Duncan Lam, Brian Anthony Wilson, Jermaine Crawford, Ravinder Singh Reyett, Anna Martemucci Lukas, Rocco Rosanio,...

Portugal. the Man have shared “Champ,” a new single from their upcoming album, Chris Black Changed My Life. Produced by Jeff Bhasker, the track finds the band reimagining Edgar Winter’s “Dying to Live” with their own psychedelic twist. Listen below.

Chris Black Changed My Life is due out on June 23rd. Per the newly revealed tracklist, several notable guests join Ptm on the album, including The Roots’ Black Thought, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Paul Williams, Natalia Lafourcade, and Sean Leon.

Chris Black Changed My Life is dedicated to Portugal. The Man’s late friend and honorary band member, Chris Black, who died on May 19th, 2019. Previously, the band previewed the album by sharing the lead single, “Dummy.”

This summer, Portugal. the Man will take the album on the road, including a festival set at Bonnaroo and headlining shows at Red Rocks, Radio City, and Hollywood Bowl. Tickets are available here.

The widow of founding Roots bassist Leonard Hubbard and his estate have filed a lawsuit against band co-founders Questlove and Black Thought, among others, alleging they violated Rico laws and claiming they defrauded Hubbard out of millions.

The complaint, obtained by Rolling Stone, alleges that Questlove (whose real name is Ahmir Thompson), Black Thought (real name Tariq Trotter), the Roots manager Shawn Gee and band employee Munir Nuriddin “are advancing a continuing scheme to defraud” the estate and Hubbard’s widow Stephanie of money. The suit also names Live Nation Entertainment,...

Run the Jewels have announced a 10th anniversary tour in celebration of their self-titled debut taking place in Fall 2023.

“Rtjx – Celebrating 10 Years of Run The Jewels” will feature four shows each in New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles, during which El-p and Killer Mike will perform a different, career-spanning set each night. See the full itinerary below.

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 31st at 10:00 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster, with a Live Nation pre-sale beginning on Wednesday, March 29th (use access code Opener).

Once tickets are on sale, you can also find them at StubHub, where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.

Last April, Killer Mike teased in an interview with Consequence that he and El-p “may have messed around and started Run the Jewels 5.” Since then,...

Everybody wants to be a cat, but not a ton of people want to direct cats. Count Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson in that rarefied latter group, because the Oscar winner behind “Summer of Soul” is making his narrative debut with a remake of the Disney animated feature “The Aristocats,” IndieWire has confirmed.

An individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire that the film will be a “live-action hybrid reimagining” of the original film, a 1970 animated feature directed by Wolfgang Reitherman. In addition to directing, Questlove will oversee the music for the film. The script was penned by Will Gluck, director of the 2014 “Annie” and “Peter Rabbit,” and Keith Bunin, writer of the 2020 Pixar film “Onward.”

The project makes sense for Questlove in a way because the film’s most memorable moment is a jazz sequence, set to the song “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat” — Quentin Tarantino claims the...

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson will direct a remake of Disney’s 1970 animated film “The Aristocats,” Disney has confirmed to TheWrap.

Questlove, who won an Oscar last year for his Hulu documentary “Summer of Soul,” will serve as director, executive producer, and oversee music on the project, which will be a live-action/animation hybrid retelling of the story of Duchess, a Parisian cat whom is left an immense fortune by her owner only to be thrown out into the countryside with her three kittens by a jealous butler. Out alone for the first time, Duchess and her kittens turn to a street-smart tomcat named Thomas O’Malley for help.

Also Read:

CNN Contributor Compares Jonathan Majors Arrest to Johnny Depp Trial, Warns ‘Court of Public Opinion’ Will Be Quick to Judge (Video)

Will Gluck, writer-director of the “Peter Rabbit” films, will adapt the screenplay with Keith Bunin and produce through his company Olive Bridge.

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is getting behind the camera for his narrative feature debut for Disney.

The Oscar and Grammy winner will direct the live-action adaption of the Jazz-focused 1970s animated feature The Aristocats for the studio.

The story follows a cat and her three kittens, who inherit the fortune of their heiress owner, only to have a jealous butler dump the cats out in the countryside. The cats have to find their way back home to Paris with the help of a musically-inclined alley cat. The original voice cast included Eva Gabor and Phil Harris, with music by Robert and Richard Sherman, whose legendary work for the studio included Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Thompson will also oversee the music for the film, which will have a script by Will Gluck and Keith Bunin. Gluck and his production company, Olive Bridge, are producing along with Thompson’s Two One Five Entertainment.

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the Oscar-winning director of “Summer of Soul,” is helming a remake of “The Aristocats” for Disney.

Similar to “Sonic the Hedgehog” or “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” the adaptation of “The Aristocats” will be a blend of live action and CGI.

Thompson, the drummer of the Roots, is also executive producing and overseeing music for the film. As previously announced, “Peter Rabbit” filmmaker Will Gluck and Pixar’s “Onward” writer Keith Bunin are adapting the screenplay.

Tarik Trotter, Shawn Gee and Zarah Zohlman will serve as executive producers. Gluck, via his production company Olive Bridge, is producing along with Thompson’s Two One Five Entertainment.

Originally released in 1970, “The Aristocats” centers on a family of pampered felines — mother Duchess and her three kittens Berlioz, Marie and Toulouse — who live in Paris and are expecting to soon inherit a massive fortune. But when their owner’s jealous butler learns of their inheritance,...

Exclusive: After winning the Oscar for Best Documentary last year, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson has found his feature film directing debut as sources tell Deadline he will helm a live-action/hybrid reimaging of The Aristocats for Walt Disney Studios. Thompson also is executive producing and overseeing music for the film, whose script is by Will Gluck and Keith Bunin. Tarik Trotter, Shawn Gee and Zarah Zohlman will exec produce on behalf of Two One Five Entertainment.

Related Story Warner Bros. Wins Fevered Weekend Auction For T.J. Newman Novel ‘Drowning: The Rescue Of Flight 1421;’ Deal Reaches $1.5M Against $3M Related Story Documentary On Late Music Producer J Dilla, Seminal Figure In Hip Hop, Coming From EP Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson Related Story Peabody Awards: The Complete List Of 2022 Winners

Gluck and his production company, Olive Bridge, are producing along with Thompson’s Two One Five.

The film is based on the 1970 animated pic...

In a bittersweet moment, De La Soul stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday, March 16th, to perform “Stakes Is High” from their classic 1996 album of the same name. They were backed by The Roots, with Black Thought standing in for the late Trugoy the Dove’s verses on the track.

Questlove and the rest of The Roots band’s instrumental prowess blended perfectly with De La Soul’s criticism of hip-hop culture in 1996. Posdnuos reminded fans old and new of his command of the mic and sharp lyrics during the nearly six-minute performance, while Black Thought recited Trugoy’s words to perfection. Toward the end of the track, Posdnuos went acapella with his final verse. Watch the replay below.

Prior to performing, surviving De La Soul members Posdnuos and Maseo opened up about the arduous, 15-year process of bringing their catalog to streaming services; reminisced about...

Black Thought and El Michels Affair have shared another new song, “Glorious Game,” featuring Kirby, the title track from their collaborative album, out April 14.

The track is anchored by stuttering drums and a bulbous bass line, with Kirby’s from-the-heavens falsetto on the psych-soul chorus providing the perfect counterbalance to the Black Thought’s crystalline flow. “Glorious Game” is accompanied by an engrossing animated visual (helmed by Gugen Allan) that follows a panther as it roams through an otherworldly dreamscape.

“Glorious Game” is the third song Black Thought and El...